Draft Winter Use Plan, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, 1994
Chapter 1. Introduction
PURPOSE AND NEED FOR WINTER USE PLAN
As mentioned earlier, winter use in Crater Lake National Park has in the past been accommodated or controlled in accordance with existing NPS policy. However, the growth in winter use of Crater Lake National Park has raised concerns regarding impacts on park resources, the need for additional visitor services, and the direction the NPS should take regarding overall winter recreation management. As winter visitation continues to grow, the need for planning the growth is becoming more evident.
Since its inception on August 25, 1916, the National Park Service has managed and regulated national parks, national monuments, and other management units within the national park system for the purpose of protecting and conserving the natural, cultural, and historical resources contained within unit boundaries. However, just as it is the responsibility of the NPS to protect and conserve these resources, it is also their responsibility to impart the significance of these resources to the public. The intent of the ongoing planning process in Crater Lake National Park is to define a balance between resource protection and visitor use. The challenge is to emphasize the park’s uniqueness; the guiding principle is to do nothing that will threaten the quality of park resources. Specific policies and management objectives are needed to guide winter use in the park so that these goals are met. The primary purpose of the winter use plan is to identify the types of winter use activities appropriate for Crater Lake National Park and to determine whether existing activities should continue or participation in additional activities be encouraged. The winter use plan is a policy document and does not include site-specific development plans.
***previous*** — ***next***
